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Dred Scott vs Sandford
A court case that said that american citizenship did not extend to African Americans or people with African American descent. This basically said that African Americans had no right under the constitution. -
13th Amendment
The 13th amendment was the official thing that formally ended slavery in the United States. This said that all the slaves now had to be freed and released from their previous owners. -
14th Amendment
The 14th amendment stated that all persons born or naturalized in the United States were citenzens of the United States. This meant that no matter what color a person was if they were born in the US then they had rights protected by the Constituiton -
15th Amendment
It allowed African American men the right to vote. This is significant because now these men have a say in the government and have a chance to be better represented in the government. -
Start of Jim Crow Era
The Jim Crow Era was an era in the united states that state and local governments passed laws that racially segrated things. It made it so that African Americans and whites couldn't use the same stuff. -
Plessy vs Ferguson
The ruling in Plessy vs Ferguson allowed states to jim crow laws and stated that it was constitutional as long as they were equal. A key term is separate but equal. -
Nineteenth Amendment
It stated that the right to vote shall not be denied just because of your sex. This meant that it gave women the right to vote. -
Brown vs Board of Education
Brown vs Board of Education stated that laws segregating public schools were unconstitutional. It outlawed segregation in public schools. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act prevented discrimination based on physical characteristics of an individual or what they believe in. Meaning that you couldn't discriminate against someone just because they were different from you. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
This Act outlawed discrimination against groups in the voting aspect. Previously things had been done to try and prevent minority groups from voting. -
Affirmative Action
This case meant that prohibiting employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, and national origin by those organizations receiving federal contracts and subcontracts was unconstitutional. It was significant because people could have a fairly be hired. -
End of JIm Crown era
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Reed vs Reed
It stated that laws discriminating based on gender when naming an administration were unconstitutional. -
Equal Rights Amendment
The Equal Rights Amendment was a proposed amendment that guaranteed all equal rights to American citizens regardless of their sex. -
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke
It was a dispute about whether colleges can give preferential treatment to minorities which reduces education for whites. There was no majority decision. -
Bowers v. Hardwick
This case said that it the constitution did not protect sodomy and that states could outlaw its practice. This meant that states could make laws banning it and then if caught you could get arrrested. -
American Disabilities Act
It prevented the discrimination against those with disabilities. -
Motor Voter Act
It set forth certain voter registration requirements. It is nicknamed this because when getting a license the DMV has to offer you a chance to register to vote. -
Lawrence v. Texas
This case said that criminal punishment for consensual non procreative sex was unconstitutional. This meant that people could have sex freely. -
Obergefell v. Hodges
This case ruled that the fundamental right protected by the 14th amendment does in fact apply to same-sex marriages. This meant that same-sex marriages could legally happen and that same-sex couples could get married.